UTSA faculty earn tenure, promotion, emeritus recognition

AUGUST 31, 2023 — The UTSA Division of Academic Affairs has announced the promotion of 112 faculty members, effective September 1.

“UTSA faculty inspire and empower our students through high-quality, transformational academic and research experiences,” said Heather Shipley, UTSA interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “We celebrate the remarkable achievements of these faculty and the positive impacts they have on our students, university and community.”

Among tenured/tenure-track faculty, 15 faculty members have been promoted to associate professor with tenure. Faculty are awarded tenure based on their accomplishments in each of three categories of performance: teaching, research/scholarship/creative activities, and service. Another 16 faculty members were promoted to full professor in recognition of their sustained professional accomplishments.

“We celebrate the remarkable achievements of these faculty and the positive impacts they have on our students, university and community.”

• Binay Adhikari, Finance
• Miltos Alamaniotis, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Christopher Combs, Mechanical Engineering
• Arkangel Cordero, Management
• Neil Debbage, Political Science and Geography
• Mostafa Fazly, Mathematics
• Kimberly Garza, English
• Buster Graybill, Art
• Lyle Hood, Mechanical Engineering
• Soo Chan Lee, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
• Philip Menard, Information Systems and Cyber Security
• Marc Perry, Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Gabriela Romero Uribe, Biomedical and Chemical Engineering
• Humberto Saenz, Art
• Elizabeth Sooby, Physics and Astronomy

• Nehal Abu-Lail, Biomedical and Chemical Engineering
• Adel Alaeddini, Mechanical Engineering
• Stephen Amberg, Political Science and Geography
• Mark Bayer, English
• Curtis Brewer, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
• Felicia Castro-Villarreal, Educational Psychology
• Yongli Gao, Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Jie Huang, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management
• Kristen Lindahl, Bicultural-Bilingual Studies
• Marcelo Marucho, Physics and Astronomy
• Arturo Montoya, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management
• Juan Manuel Nino, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
• Jorge Solis, Bicultural-Bilingual Studies
• Victor Villarreal, Educational Psychology
• Min Wang, Management Science and Statistics
• Walter Wilson, Political Science and Geography

Also, this year, 10 retired faculty members have been awarded emeritus status in honor of their years of valued service and contribution to the university mission.

• Carmen Fies, Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching
• Patrick Kelly, History

• Thelma Duffey, Counseling (posthumously awarded)
• Richard Jones, Political Science and Geography
• Juliet Langman, Bicultural-Bilingual Studies
• Martha Lundell, Integrative Biology
• Miriam Martinez, Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching
• Jeanne Reesman, English
• Sonia Saldivar-Hull, English
• Heywood Sanders, Public Administration

Additionally, 71 fixed-term-track faculty were promoted. To earn promotion, fixed-term-track faculty members must demonstrate excellence in teaching or significant scholarly contribution along with a progressive record of achievement and engagement.

• Neel Baumgardner, History
• Akanksha Matta, Chemistry
• Magdelena Nerio, English
• Wei Reeves, Chemistry
• Eric Ryberg, Art
• Stephanie Schoellman, English

• Michael Hanna, Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology
• William Ramos, Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology

• Reza Aghayan, Mathematics
• Armando Arciniega, Mathematics
• Oak Deberg, Philosophy and Classics
• Devon Donohue-Bergeler, Modern Languages and Literatures
• Karen Engates, Academic Introduction & Strategies
• Francisco Herbert, Mechanical Engineering
• Mariah Hopkins, Integrative Biology
• Rebecca Schroeder, Academic Introduction & Strategies
• Elaine Turney, History
• Jason Willome, Art
• Gwen Young, Integrative Biology

• Davood Barakat, Mathematics
• Bryn Herrera, Political Science and Geography
• Maike Hudson, Writing Program
• Jennifer Keizer, Writing Program
• Loretta Long, Writing Program
• Carolyn Luna, Mathematics
• Kimberly Massaro, Management Science and Statistics
• Donna Miller, Sociology
• Melissa Murata, Writing Program
• Ghassan Nasr, Mathematics
• Marguerite Newcomb, Writing Program
• Susan Roomberg, Political Science and Geography
• Mario Salas, Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Vidya Sharma, Nutrition
• Zachery Sharon, Mathematics
• Janet Vote, Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Erica Wallace, Public Health

• Judith Dones, Academic Introduction & Strategies
• Heather Staples, Management

• Deukhee Gong, Modern Languages and Literatures
• John Helton, Writing Program
• Robert Kaufman, Information Systems and Cyber Security
• Manjit Kaur, Writing Program
• Max Kilger, Management Science and Statistics
• Liset Leal-Vasquez, Nutrition
• Ryan McPherson, Communication
• Catherine Somody, Counseling
• Raymond Teske, Finance
• Charles Wright, Communication
• Xiaolu Zhang, Information Systems and Cyber Security

• Jieh-Juen Yu, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

• Aanuoluwa Adelani, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
• Sage Bentley, Mathematics
• Nydia Cabra, Kinesiology
• Favor Campbell, Sociology
• Steven Cordero, Architecture and Planning
• Geneveva Cruz, Writing Program
• Melissa Doyle, Public Health
• Jettin Fuqua, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
• Robyn Glasscock, Writing Program
• Alireza Jahanara, Architecture and Planning
• Monica Juarez, Integrative Biology
• Matthew Melancon, Political Science and Geography
• Victoria Miller, Writing Program
• Beth Morley, Writing Program
• Betty Mkwinda Nyasulu, Writing Program
• Ernesto Olivarez, Mathematics
• Kelley Reno, Kinesiology
• Matthew Schurmann, Mathematics
• Rebecca Stortz, Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching
• Philippe West, Writing Program
• Ryan Wilson, Writing Program

— Matthew Boerger